Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime – Payment, Eligibility & Application

No parent should ever have to face the tragic loss or disappearance of a child. But when the unthinkable happens, Canada offers a financial lifeline through the Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime. This benefit provides $500 per week, paid bi-weekly, to help parents or legal guardians who need time off work to cope with such a traumatic event.

Whether the tragedy involved a death or a disappearance of a child under the age of 25, this benefit is there to support you during a deeply difficult time. Let’s break down exactly what it offers, who qualifies, and how to apply.

Overview

The Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime (CBPYVC) is a federal financial support program created for eligible parents who lose income after the death or disappearance of a child due to a suspected Criminal Code offence.

Program	Details
Weekly Benefit	$500
Payment Frequency	Every 2 weeks
Max Duration	35 weeks over 3 years
Taxable?	Yes, income tax deducted
Official Site	canada.ca

The benefit can be shared between eligible recipients, and parents can pause and resume payments anytime during the 3-year eligibility window.

Eligibility

To qualify for this benefit in 2025, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• Legal guardian of a child who is deceased or missing
• The child was under 25 years old
• The incident happened in Canada and on or after September 30, 2018
• The death or disappearance must be due to a probable Criminal Code offence
• The child has been missing for at least 1 week (in disappearance cases)
• You earned at least $5,000 in the previous year or last 52 weeks
• You’re on leave or working no more than 20 hours per week
• You have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• You are not receiving:
  • Employment Insurance (EI)
  • Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP)
• You have not been charged with the crime related to the child

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Important: You must file a police report to apply, and you will need the report number.

Amount

Here’s how the payment structure works:

Payment Type	Details
Weekly Benefit	$500
Bi-weekly Payment	$1,000 every 2 weeks
Max Duration	35 weeks
Max Total Benefit	$17,500
Payment Window	Up to 3 years

Payments are taxable income, so income tax will be deducted before the funds are deposited.

Shared Benefit

This benefit can be split between eligible parents or guardians. For example:

• One parent could take 15 weeks
• Another could take the remaining 20 weeks
• Or parents could alternate and pause the benefit as needed

You can stop and restart receiving the benefit within the 3-year window as your situation changes.

Documents

To apply for the benefit, you’ll need:

• Proof of identity (e.g., government-issued ID)
• SIN number
• Police file/report number
• Proof of income from the previous year
• Proof of employment leave or reduced hours

Tip: Apply as soon as possible after the incident to ensure timely support.

How It Helps

This benefit is designed to help you focus on healing without the added pressure of income loss. It can cover:

• Lost wages during time off work
• Travel expenses for court or police follow-ups
• Therapy or grief counselling sessions
• Day-to-day living costs like rent, food, and bills

While no payment can truly compensate for the loss or disappearance of a child, the CBPYVC helps ease the financial burden during a devastating time.

FAQs